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Single father dies as daughter's cries for help go unheard

By: Alexandra Paul

Posted: 06/28/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Joe Bryksa / Winnipeg Free Press Officials on scene at the Selkirk pool where Curtis Niemi died Monday.

A girl whose father died at the bottom of the Selkirk pool this week was screaming for help moments after her father sank. A woman beside her was yelling, too.

But it was hard for lifegaurds to hear them over music blasting out of the pool's public address system, said a man who came to the rescue.

"It was weird because I'd just passed them 30 seconds before and I could see the woman's mouth moving and the little girl's but I couldn't hear them because the music was so loud," said Jeff Gunn, who swims laps almost every day at the outdoor pool at Selkirk Park.

The victim was identified by family on Wednesday as Curtis Niemi, a 44-year-old single dad to his daughter Hannah. His obituary described him as a Manitoba Hydro cableman.

The little girl was only seven months old when her mother died five years ago, leaving Niemi as the sole parent. He coached soccer and was involved in his daughter's activities ranging from dance and gymnastics to woodworking as he shouldered the responsibilities of single parenthood.

Instead of flowers, the Niemis are asking people to donate to Hannah's trust fund, set up after her mother's death, at any Scotiabank branch.

A chorus of critics on the Free Press website shared Gunn's concern about the noisy music drowning out screams for help as Niemi died.

"I saw you rescue the man and commend you for your quick actions," one response read. "The point about the dock being manned is necessary as is the radio not being on. Here's hoping Randy Borsa takes these recommendations to action."

Borsa, the City of Selkirk chief administrative officer, said Wednesday the music that has been a staple at the pool is going to be reconsidered.

"We will be looking into that," Borsa said, adding the music wasn't an issue brought to his attention until now.

On the day of Niemi's death, Gunn said he heard the music cut out and a call went out on public address system to "Get off the dock."

Gunn said he saw the little girl was suddenly alone. Her arms rested on the dock but the man had vanished.

Gunn said he reached the woman and girl in a few strokes and dove down and saw something that jolted him.

"I went, 'Holy s ! What's under there?' It was the man. And the woman was swimming right above him."

Gunn grabbed Niemi and got him to pool's edge. He was about to administer mouth-to-mouth when the lifeguards took over.

There were two lifeguards who activated a portable machine that appeared to be a defibrillator, Gunn said. Before they could use the paddles, however, they had to follow a series of prompts from the device before the paddles could deliver their electrical current.

The jolt is designed to kick-start a heart that's stopped beating and restore cardiac rhythm.

Gunn isn't suggesting the delay cost Niemi his life, but thought the rescue should have been smoother.

"I hope something changes. They need four lifeguards, not two, and they should give them polarized sunglasses so they can see to the bottom of the pool.

"Then they have to turn the bloody music off," Gunn said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 28, 2012 A7

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